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WASHINGTON (AP) - Mud season has been extended. From North Dakota to Long Island, rain after rain after rain has dampened spirits and swamped roads. Picnics and kids' baseball games have been washed out, rescheduled and rained out again. Big-time sports, too. —In Farmingdale, N.Y., Tiger Woods' defense of the U.S. Open championship was delayed Thursday as rain pelted an already soaked course and postponed most of the first round until Friday. "Where's my canoe," England's Ian Poulter wrote on his Twitter feed. —In Bismarck, N.D., heavy rain swamped streets, stressed storm sewers and stalled vehicles. Roads were shut down,...

For the contiguous United States, the average temperature for April was 51.2°F (10.7°C), which was 0.8°F (0.5°C) below the 20th century mean and ranked as the 36th coolest April on record, based on preliminary data.

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton canceled her appointments Monday laid low by her allergies, an official said, stressing she was not suffering from swine flu. "She does not have the flu, just a bit under the weather," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood. "She will be back tomorrow. She is suffering from allergies."

The annual garden club show is this coming weekend, at the St. John's County Agriculture Center. Things are looking good up there, the volunteer crew is putting on the finishing touches. It's early, lot's more good stuff still to come. Only one Magnolia is in bloom now, it's a little tree, but it sure is trying hard!

CHICAGO (CBS) ― The Chicago White Sox announced Sunday evening it has canceled Monday's season opener against the Kansas City Royals because of inclement weather. The White Sox postponed Monday's 1:05 p.m. game because of forecasted snow, cold and high winds, according to a release from the team. The game is rescheduled for 1:05 p.m. Tuesday. All opening day festivities will still take place Tuesday, the release said. One can see why the event was cancelled. It's really coming down at U.S. Cellular Field Sunday night. And the gloomy, cold weather is dampening the spirits of a lot of White...

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM CDT /NOON MDT/ THIS AFTERNOON. BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTH PLATTE HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BLOWING SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM CDT /NOON MDT/ THIS AFTERNOON. THE BLIZZARD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELED. GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS TO 40 MPH COMBINED WITH FRESH SNOW FROM YESTERDAY AND EARLIER TODAY WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW THIS MORNING. THE THREAT FOR BLOWING SNOW WILL END BY AFTERNOON AS TEMPERATURES RISE INTO THE LOWER TO MID 30S.

The ponds are brimming, green is showing up all over, the birds are nesting, give thanks, Spring is here! My yard crew was busy yesterday, I tested a new camera on them. I finally moved up to a DSLR, A SONY A-200. I'll just eat a lot of beans and rice this month to pay for it, LOL

How to tell you're a compulsive gardener 1. When stuck in traffic, you want to weed the median strip. 2. On a walk in the neighborhood, you look at the plants so much that you trip on the sidewalk. 3. You find yourself worrying about your neighbor's plants. Especially when your neighbor is doing something stupid. 4. You are tempted to adopt those straggly, mishandled plants at the garden center because you think you can give them a good home. 5. You want to collect seeds from half the vegetables you eat. 6. You find yourself pruning, pruning, pruning because...

Preston will most probably be the state record holder for the weekend's snowfall with 30 inches reported, says state climatologist Mary Knapp. But it won't be official until the end of April. Knapp is still checking her numbers and is busy conferring with the National Weather Service, as well as searching through weather data to aid in the confirmation. "We still are waiting for reports from stations that might not have gotten through yet," she said. However, by the end of April, they should have it settled. When it comes to snowfall, "people will be arguing forever on what the...

TOKYO (AFP) – Japan's celebrated cherry blossom, which for millions heralds the start of spring, is under threat from climate change, according to experts, who say warmer weather is causing early flowering. Cherry blossom season officially began in Tokyo this year on March 21 -- five days ahead of schedule and a full week earlier than the average for the last 30 years of the 20th century. Far from being a freak occurrence, the phenomenon of early blossoming has been happening for several years, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Traditionally, the first sakura -- cherry tree -- flowers...

Whether it is toads blocking roads, salamander love songs, or a groundhog overcoming his shadow, many animals have unique ways of welcoming spring. How Birds, Toads, Groundhogs and Salamanders Start Spring Most people are familiar with the ritual of Groundhog Day; since 1887, every Feb. 2, Americans wait eagerly to learn if Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow, which tells us if we’ll have six more weeks of winter, or if spring will come early. According to legend, Phil was chosen because he is the same groundhog used during the first Groundhog Day, and will live on forever. Early February...

I haven't done much the past few days. I was riding down a narrow residential street the other day and saw a little front yard surrounded by these lillies. The yard was shady but the flowers were glowing like hot coals. I shot these through the car window.

~ It's Finally Friday and The First Day of Spring!! ~ RIVER CROSSING U.S. Army Spc. Chad Brown crosses a river while on a dismount patrol mission near Forward Operation Base Baylough in Zabul province, Afghanistan, March 17, 2009. Brown is a medic assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, US Army Europe. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Adam Mancini Canteen Mission Statement Showing support and boosting the morale ofour military and our allies militaryand family members of the above.Honoring those who have served before. BLUE VIEW U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Trinity Phillips observes an MH-60S...

A friend of mine is a volunteer master gardener at the St. John's County Florida Arboretum. She puts in countless hours creating a beautiful place to smell the flowers. I made this video for Shirley and all the folk's involved at the St. John's County Arboretum. http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v244/tsiya/VIDEO/?action=view&current=ARBORETUMSPRING.flv [URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v244/tsiya/VIDEO/?action=view&current=ARBORETUMSPRING.flv][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/tsiya/VIDEO/th_ARBORETUMSPRING.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Spring is a very special time, here on the Eastern Continental Divide. This was a particularly harsh winter. The first task on this first truly warm and sunny day was to patrol the grounds and see which plants had survived, and which had not. We were worried about the red maple planted just last summer. It and the wisteria made it through with flexible small branches, not small and brittle ones. Both plants were presents from dear friends, and one of those friends did not survive the winter. So it was good to see that her plant survive. Michelle is...

Spring break is coming up, which means it's time to invest in a sexy new swimsuit.If you’re Jessica Alba, you can get away with just about anything. But if you’re not, we’ve got some great advice to make this year the best spring break beach experience ever.Yes, going to the gym and toning up is important because swimsuits, by virtue of their form and function, tend to leave little to the imagination.More important, however, is learning which swimsuits work best for your body type. Cuts, shapes, fabrics, prints can have a major impact on how your beach-bod looks, so...

To ensure that we have influence over the outcome, we need more soldiers in Afghanistan, and fast. They need to be U.S. forces, British, Canadian, and Aussie; we cannot depend on NATO in general and they don’t know how to fight anyway. Unless President-elect Obama knows some kind of magic spell, he will not be able to persuade most NATO countries to do the right thing. Springtime 2009 will likely bring very heavy fighting in Afghanistan. We will not have credible negotiating positions while we remain outgunned by a bunch of old rifles and dinged-up RPGs. While security in Iraq...

The March-May spring season was the 36th coolest on record for the contiguous United States, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Separately, last month ended as the 34th coolest May for the contiguous United States, based on records dating back to 1895. The average spring temperature of 51.4 degrees F was 0.5 degree F below the 20th century average. The average May temperature of 60.3 degrees F was 0.7 degree F below the 20th century mean, based on preliminary data. U.S. Temperature Highlights * The March-May temperatures were cooler than average from the...

Confirming what many of us have already noted from the anecdotal evidence coming in of a much cooler than normal May, such as late spring snows as far south as Arizona, extended skiing in Colorado, and delays in snow cover melting, (here and here), the University of Alabama, Huntsville (UAH) published their satellite derived Advanced Microwave Sounder Unit data set of the Lower Troposphere for May 2008. It is significantly colder globally, colder even than the significant drop to -0.046°C seen in January 2008. The global ∆T from April to May 2008 was -.195°C

The global temperature anomaly (difference from 30-year average) for May, 2008 was -.18 degrees Celcius. This is the lowest anomaly in 8 years. The global average temperature for May 2008, was the coldest for the month of May since May, 1993. It was the 4th coldest in the 30 year history of satellite temperature measurement.

Some trails and campgrounds are still under several feet of snow, keeping them closed, in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Officials said of the 34 campgrounds normally open for Memorial Day, 24 will be open for the holiday weekend. Snow covers the other 10 and most of the trails. "We had unprecedented snowpack this year and above 2,000 feet elevation you will encounter continuous snowfields, or lower, if the area is shaded," said Rodney Mace, a forest recreation staff officer. Campground openings that have been postponed include Silver Springs until May 30, and the following until June 13: Denny Creek,...

ASSOCIATED PRESS - Construction of new homes posted the biggest increase in more than two years in April. While it was a rare bit of good news for the housing market, analysts said it's far too soon to declare an end to the extensive slump. The Commerce Department reported yesterday that housing construction rose by 8.2 percent in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.03 million units. Building of single-family homes continued to weaken, however. The growth came from a big jump in apartment construction. Analysts predicted the surprising rebound in April would be temporary given the headwinds...

Climate Monitoring / Climate At A Glance / UNITED STATES / Help UNITED STATES Climate Summary April 2008 The average temperature in April 2008 was 51.0 F. This was -1.0 F cooler than the 1901-2000 (20th century) average, the 29th coolest April in 114 years. The temperature trend for the period of record (1895 to present) is 0.1 degrees Fahrenheit per decade. 2.39 inches of precipitation fell in April. This was -0.04 inches less than the 1901-2000 average, the 54th driest such month on record. The precipitation trend for the period of record (1895 to present) is 0.01 inches per...

April 2008 was the coldest April in 11 years. April also ranked the 29th coldest since record keeping began 114 years ago. According to the National Climatic Data Center, the U.S. average temperature for the month was only 51 degrees, which is 1 degree below the average from 1901-2000. Along with those colder than normal temperatures, April 2008 was dry - the 54th driest on record.

Wow! What an arctic blast! Can you remember a colder Good Friday and Easter? It wouldn’t be so bad if it had been cold all along, but to be in the high eighties and then wham! Frostbite! And then, to add insult to injury, it stayed miserably cold with repeated heavy frosts until at least the tenth of April! Condolences to all of you who had your warm season gardens planted. The weather will swing in the opposite direction like a demented weathervane soon enough and we will be miserable with the high temperatures. Sure doesn’t look like we’re going...

The low temperature at SeaTac Airport last night was 34 degrees. The record low for this date was 33 degrees, set in 1961. The forecast high today is 46 degrees. The lowest high temperature for this date at SeaTac was 47 degrees, set in 1975. The Puget Sound region, especially north of Seattle, had 2-6 inches of snow, with some eastern areas reporting 10 inches. Although NOAA reports the fourth lowest March snow cover in North America, snow cover in the Cascades has been well above average since November.

The Light Erik Lewandowski Morning Flyout Jim Fenton Happy Easter Jacqueline Olexa Spring Joeri De Schutter Red and White Tulips Dale Crawford Logan at Easter Chris OMeara Lily Olga Gerasimova Spring... Katerina Lomonosov day of rain Beate Miedl-Rissner Untitled Carlos Barriuso Amo Danii and bunny Lola Martin Wilmsen Garza real Carlos Barriuso Amo Songs of Spring Jim Fenton Natalya Carson Exposed Mia Friedrich Layla seeking (and catching) easter eggs Gerard Maas UKRANIAN EASTER EGGS george mclean The Orchard Une femme avec un bycicle Andrew Maidanik SnowflakesAndrew Campbell Easter Sunday in Quito Ricardo Salguero surrounded by spirits Stanislav Volgushev Symmetry...

Not much time or energy today, just made a fast run to the store for cat food, with part of the trip running through the county arboretum, LOL. It is looking good! On the way home I stopped at a little wild pond, the neighborhood Anhinga was sunbathing. I can't figure how they balance on little skinny branches with their big floppy feet, but somehow they do it. http://www.pbase.com/tsiya/root http://photobucket.com/albums/v244/tsiya/ http://cabbagehammock.blogspot.com/

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I know.......many folks are still covered in snow others are facing other horrendous weather issues. They are all in our thoughts and prayers. HOWEVER - at 1:26 Eastern this afternoon Spring officially begins. Trying to find articles about the first day of spring was practically an impossibility. Oh sure, there were some out there but most of them were real downers, so I decided today might be a great share some of our favorite gardening websites. The categories of gardening and seed catalogs on my favorites list are both as long as my arm, but I grabbed...

WASHINGTON - The capital's famous cherry trees are primed to burst out in a perfect pink peak about the end of this month. Thirty years ago, the trees usually waited to bloom till around April 5. In central California, the first of the field skipper sachem, a drab little butterfly, was fluttering about on March 12. Just 25 years ago, that creature predictably emerged there anywhere from mid-April to mid-May. And sneezes are coming earlier in Philadelphia. On March 9, when allergist Dr. Donald Dvorin set up his monitor, maple pollen was already heavy in the air. Less than two...

When the Snowy Egrets get all dressed up, and the Red Breasted Mergansers pass through on the way North, it's Springtime! http://www.pbase.com/tsiya/root http://photobucket.com/albums/v244/tsiya/ http://cabbagehammock.blogspot.com/

My buddy from the county arboretum emailed to say that the little Saucer Magnolia was starting to bloom, tiny little tree, more flowers than tree. Stuff is popping out of the ground everywhere you look, even saw the first Ladybug of the season. When I got home I plopped down on the porch steps, looked up and a big Florida Cooter was crossing the driveway. It was still covered with sand, it's been buried and sleeping all winter. It's Spring, folks! http://www.pbase.com/tsiya/root http://photobucket.com/albums/v244/tsiya/ http://cabbagehammock.blogspot.com/

This is one that I've actually seen in person; it's just off Highway 4 north of Jemez Springs (near Los Alamos). There's a small hot spring, certainly from the remnant heat of the Valles Caldera just up the road, that created the "soda" (limestone) that makes the dam that is cut through by the Jemez River.

Get ready for another surge in gasoline prices. Experts are predicting pump prices, which jumped by almost a dollar a gallon in each of the last two springs in many parts of the United States, will spike again this year as refiners and gas stations switch from winter- to summer-blended fuels. The increases, starting as early as February in southern California, could push the average national price to a record $3.50 a gallon or more by June. That would be 17 percent higher than today's average of just under $3 a gallon, which already is about 80 cents a gallon...

WASHINGTON, June 6, 2007 – Coalition forces have the upper hand against Afghan insurgents despite previous fears of a bloody Taliban spring offensive aided by Iranian technology, the deputy director for operations on the Joint Staff said here today. “I will tell you, I think in fact the offensive is not theirs but ours,” Army Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins told Pentagon reporters in a news conference. Coalition troops have been highly active in Afghanistan’s eastern and southern sectors, Wiggins said, and the Taliban’s leadership and fighting force has suffered “serious losses.” Mullah Dadullah Lang, the Taliban’s top military commander and...

ATLANTA – It may be two weeks into spring, but it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Cold temperatures in much of the country have those celebrating Easter this weekend swapping out frills, bonnets and sandals for coats, scarves and socks. Baseball fans are huddled in blankets, and instead of spring planting, backyard gardeners are bundling their crops. The National Weather Service was predicting record lows Sunday for parts of the Southeast and Midwest, and an unseasonably cold weekend for much of the Northeast. Snow was forecast in parts of Ohio, Michigan and New England. “Our musicians are worried...

Someone forgot to break the news to Algore and Mother Nature: Its snowing in mountain Colorado this Saturday and its Spring! Global Warming Alert

Target Iran: US able to strike in the spring Despite denials, Pentagon plans for possible attack on nuclear sites are well advanced Ewen MacAskill in Washington Saturday February 10, 2007 The Guardian (UK) A second battle group has been ordered to the Gulf and extra missiles have already been sent out. Meanwhile oil is being stockpiled. Photograph: Reuters US preparations for an air strike against Iran are at an advanced stage, in spite of repeated public denials by the Bush administration, according to informed sources in Washington. The present military build-up in the Gulf would allow the US to mount...

The tree as a metaphor for personal growth. Tom was about to collapse. Three days of trekking through the desolate desert had taken its toll: fatigued and parched from a thirst that only a barren stretch of wilderness could produce. The sun blazing overhead was making his head spin. His stomach constantly reminded him of how empty it was. How long had it been since he had partaken of a decent meal? Just when he could barely take it anymore Tom noticed something looming ahead on the horizon. Could that really be a fruit tree? It must be a mirage...

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. - A new pair of hands pulled Punxsutawney Phil from his stump this year, so it was only fitting that the groundhog offered a new prediction. Phil did not see his shadow on Friday which, according to German folklore, means folks can expect an early spring instead of six more weeks of winter. Since 1886, Phil has seen his shadow 96 times, hasn't seen it 14 times and there are no records for nine years, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. The last time Phil failed to see his shadow was in 1999. More than 15,000 revelers milled...

Iraq's government will have command of its own armed forces by the middle of next year, a US general said, revealing details of a deal between the US president and the Iraqi prime minister. US military spokesman Major General William Caldwell said Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and President George W. Bush had agreed on an "accelerated timetable" for Iraq to take charge of its own security. The announcement came on the eve of a much-anticipated report from a panel of US experts which is expected to recommend that US forces in Iraq do exactly that, in order to disengage American...

Hatch helps spring Austin from Dubai jailBy The Associated Press Sat Jul 8, 5:50 PM ET Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, sits at a piano in his Capitol Hill office in this May 6, 1997 file photo. Hatch, a musician in his own right, helped secure the release of Atlanta R&B producer Dallas Austin from a Dubai jail after a drug conviction, his office confirmed Saturday July 8, 2006. (AP Photo/Cameron Craig, File) SALT LAKE CITY - U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, a musician in his own right, helped secure the release of Atlanta R&B producer Dallas Austin from a...

After the long, dark cold of winter, many people look to spring to bring them bright sunshine, warmer weather - and non-stop sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), seasonal allergic rhinitis, also known as "spring allergies" or "rose fever," is one of the most common allergic conditions in the United States, affecting approximately 36 million people (www.aaaai.org).

Millions of Americans will lose an hour's sleep Saturday night, as daylight savings time returns. Officially clocks should be moved ahead one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, but most people will change their clocks before going to bed Saturday night. The lost hour will return October 29 when clocks fall back to standard time. Congress has passed a law changing the dates of daylight-saving time, from March 11 to November 4, but that doesn't take effect until 2007.

3/31/2006 - KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFPN) -- “Service Before Self,” one of the Air Force’s core values, is on the minds of 135 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets who are working during their alternative spring break in areas damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The project is part of the Cadet Service Learning program which centers on community involvement. “CSL takes this core value from theoretical concepts of the classroom and a training environment,” said Maj. Eric Ecklund, of the academy’s Center for Character Development. “It allows cadets to put it to the test in real situations, meeting the needs...

UNH Scientist Announce New Beginning of Natural Spring The sun will still cross the equator on March 20th marking the vernal equinox and the official start of spring, but Mother Nature is increasingly getting a jumpstart on the celestial movements. Over the last 150 years, scientific measurements show that events signifying the beginning of spring have all shifted. These events now happen about a week earlier on average in the northeast United States, according to a new report, Evidence of Early Spring, from the group Clean Air-Cool Planet (CA-CP), which today announced the new, first day for "natural spring," March...

Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have found evidence in eastern North America that the snow is melting and running off into rivers earlier than it did in the first half of the 20th century. According to a USGS study published in the most recent issue of Geophysical Research Letters, winter-spring flows in many rivers in the northern United States and Canada are occurring earlier by 5-10 days. "We studied rural, unregulated rivers with more than 50 years of USGS and Environment Canada river flow data," explained Glenn Hodgkins, lead author and hydrologist at the USGS Maine Water Science...

The mercury is rising, the flowers are blooming and the beach season is about to begin. Spring is here -- known as one of the more pleasant times to be in the Lowcountry. It's not too hot, not too cold and the tourists aren't quite in full force. But the change of the season has ushered in a slew of unwelcome guests -- and no, they're not from Ohio. They are those tiny black critters that attack in swarms and chew holes in human skin, causing itchiness, welts and overall aggravation. Commonly referred to as no-see-ums, sand gnats, sand flies,...

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world. A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in...